Vidal Gore — Eighteen Seventy [2910]

But suddenly lawyer replaced tiger at that table. “I cannot be put in the position of appearing to oppose an arbitrament by the Congress when our present dilemma does call for something of the sort.” — Vidal Gore, Eighteen Seventy, 2910

Note

Tilden’s transformation from a tiger to a lawyer in this passage captures the complexity of his character and the tension in the political discourse. The metaphor of a tiger lends a visceral quality to Tilden’s anger contrasted with his rational lawyer persona, reflecting the duality of his position in the political arena.